Ready Player One X reader

Chapter 2

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Parzival introduced me to his friend Aech, whose avatar looked like a cyborg. After we left the racetrack through the portal, we headed towards Aech's workshop. Parzival rambled on about the contest, clearly excited.

"Looks like he hasn't talked to many girls," I thought to myself.

Once we arrived, Aech gestured at the doorway. "This is my workshop. Touch nothing," he instructed.

I scanned the room, my eyes eventually landing on something incredible. "Is that an Iron Giant?"

"Find it? I'm building it. It's a commission," Aech explained.

Parzival chimed in. "Oh yeah, Aech is top-rated on the mod boards. People all over the OASIS pay him serious coin."

Without warning, Parzival grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a small box. "Hey, check this out!"

He opened the box to reveal miniature versions of famous vehicles. Aech immediately walked over, taking each one from Parzival's hands and placing them carefully on the table.

"Hey, Z, man. These are my babies."

"The Galactica, Sulaco from Aliens, and Valley Forge from Silent Running," Aech listed off, visibly annoyed. "And where's the Harkonnen Drop-Ship? That thing is amazing."

Parzival started going off about its features, but Aech abruptly closed the box with a snap. "Fingers," he said sharply, making Parzival stop in his tracks. "You’ll have to excuse him. He gets a little nervous around pretty girls."

Aech then motioned for me to hand over my car. I opened my inventory and gave it to him, watching as he inspected the damage. "I can fix it in ten minutes," he said, walking off to his workstation.

Parzival grinned. "Yup, he's pretty great."

I raised an eyebrow. "I assume you and Shoulder Blades are clanned up?"

"Oh, Aech? Nah. He's good, but I don’t clan," Parzival replied.

"Right, because you're Parzival. Like the knight who found the Holy Grail on his own."

He chuckled nervously. "What about you, (G/T)? Clans must be dying to sign you up."

I shrugged off his comment and folded my arms. "Favorite shooter?"

Parzival looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"James Halliday's favorite first-person shooter," I clarified.

"Oh, GoldenEye."

"And his favorite character?"

"Oddjob. Wait—is this a test?"

I nodded. "Favorite game variant?"

"Slappers only. No weapons," he answered.

I smirked. "I know what 'slappers only' means. Racer?"

"Turbo. And his favorite food was Hot Pockets. Favorite restaurant? Chuck E. Cheese. Favorite song? Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Favorite video? Take on Me by A-ha. Oh, and his favorite quote was from Superman. 'Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story...'"

I cut in, finishing the quote with him. "Others can read the ingredients on a chewing-gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe."

We shared a quick, understanding smile. Then, I walked around the workshop, Parzival trailing behind. "What would you do if you won? The whole contest, I mean?"

He hesitated, then said, "Oh! I mean, I'd do a ton of things in the real world. Move into a huge mansion, buy some cool stuff, maybe not be poor for once." His voice grew quieter, almost sheepish.

I interrupted, "Now I know why you stopped short."

His expression grew defensive. "I stopped because of Kong. No one ever makes it past Kong. That's... That's just the rule."

I shook my head. "You know that can’t be true. Halliday hated making rules."

"I can't afford to zero out," he muttered.

"You're afraid to lose your stuff," I challenged.

He bristled. "No, I'm not!"

I narrowed my eyes. "What would you do if IOI offered you guaranteed money for the keys to the kingdom?"

"Nolan Sorrento would take over the world," he replied, frowning.

"A real gunter would risk everything to save the OASIS from IOI."

He looked at me curiously. "Who said that?"

"Art3mis... and me."

Just then, Aech returned, holding out my repaired car. "There you go, good as new." I smiled, taking it back and storing it in my inventory.

"Thanks for the fix-up," I said, glancing at Aech.

Parzival gave me a grin.

"I'll wave to you from the finish line, McFly." I smiled back before placing my hands on my headset, logging out.

I removed my equipment and set it on the table, then left my small game room and walked into the living room. No sooner had I opened the door than I was tackled by my dog, (D/N), who was the last connection I had to my parents. They’d left her with me before they left, and I was grateful for her company. (D/N) was my only friend outside the OASIS.

After settling on the couch and turning on the TV, (D/N) jumped up beside me, curling up as I picked a movie to watch. my favorite, (F/M).

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Timeskip

When the movie ended, I returned to the game room to check for any OASIS notifications. A new message appeared on my screen:

Parzival has sent you a friend request.

I grinned and tapped Accept.

Parzival has been added to your friend list.